Review of Into the Wild (2007) by Parker S — 06 Aug 2012

Try ditching materialism and return to a more primal state of being. Its a simple message, but most movies and books suffer at making such an important discussion easily digestible and relatable. Into the Wild changes this and so many other things I once thought; its really that inspirational, emotionally intense and enchanting.

If your sick of being constantly preached to about changing your life then this movie isn't for you. I'll admit it does get a little bit pushy with what life's meaning is and it was occasionally annoying and Christopher McCandless is a tad bit pretentious.

But for the rest of us that maybe need a little push, a little guidance, there are worse sources to turn to. The reason why it was so impactful to me is that, like I said, its so familiar to everyone; we all have times when our homes are stressful and our lives seem to be spiraling and unfocused.

Our main character experiences just that and so he takes the advice of his favorite authors and treks into places no longer seen by man. And that's where it gets interesting. Not only is Emile Hirsch brilliant and amiable, all the side characters, even those that only get a minute or two of screen time are believable and lively.

They don't seem contrived or out of place. In fact, they all propel the plot forward as they not only get their lives changed by the main character, but change him as well. Its extremely interesting to watch and Kristen Stewart gives her first good performance.

To enthrall you further, Into the Wild's breathtaking sceneries and a direction that is appropriately bold and charming makes this not only a drama, but also a fascinating template to change your life.